1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a harness protecting device of a steering column, and more particularly to a harness protecting device of a steering column having a telescopic function.
2. Description of the Related Art
As is well known, harnesses composed of a number of lead wires connected to various electrical equipment around steering wheels are arranged on steering columns. It is required, particularly in steering columns of a telescopic type, that wiring be arranged so as to absorb contraction and expansion of the harness involved in a telescopic operation. As is described in Japanese Utility Model Examined Publication No. 63-32527, in order to make it possible to absorb such contraction and expansion of the harness, it is known that a harness protecting device, which is constructed in such a manner that a harness spool for housing in a loop-like fashion the intermediate part of the harness, is provided on the lower side of a steering column so that a loop can contract and expand in accordance with the telescopic operation of the steering column.
However, in such wiring as described above, since a boss section which internally contacts the loop of the harness is formed inside the harness spool, and the loop contracts and expands from a fixed point, which is a sliding section against the boss section, stress tends to occur between the boss section and the sliding section, especially when the loop contracts. Further, because the harness spool is formed in a multi-stage vortical chamber structure to house, as mentioned above, the harness in a loop-like fashion, the thickness of the harness spool increases. As a result, a space on the lower side of the steering column is substantially taken up, so that a space between a driver's knees and the lower steering column is narrowed, thereby impairing sitting comfort.